History is marked by alternating movements across the imaginary line that separates East from West in Eurasia.

If one is sufficiently lavish with time, everything possible happens.

It is better to be envied than pitied.

Tell Greece that her spring has been taken out of her year.

Egypt is the gift of the Nile.

They [the Persians] are accustomed to deliberate on matters of the highest moment when warm with wine; but whatever they in this situation may determine is again proposed to them on the morrow, in their cooler moments, by the person in whose house they had before assembled. If at this time also it meet their approbation, it is executed; otherwise it is rejected. Whatever also they discuss when sober, is always a second time examined after they have been drinking.

For of those [cities] that were great in earlier times, most of them have now become small, while those which were great in my time were small formerly.